Body of the missing police constable found from Pannala

The body suspected to be of a police constable who was reported to be missing from Kadawatha area has been found from a block of wood in Bulugahawatte area in Werahera, Pannala this morning, police said.

Govt. to work with UN and its agencies

Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, who officially informed the Parliament of Government’s decision to withdraw from co-sponsored UN resolution 30/1, said that the government would continue to work with the UN and its agencies, including the regular human rights mandates/bodies and mechanisms as required in keeping with domestic priorities and policies.

Debt ceiling increase could leave country into greater debt trap: Mangala

The UNP yesterday defended their decision not to support the amendment to increase expenditure stipulated in the vote on account and to increase debt ceiling saying the country would have gone into a deep economic crisis if it was approved in Parliament.

Chinese workers re-start work in SL

Work in Chinese funded projects in Sri Lanka has begun to return to normal as workers who were subjected to 14-day isolation amidst fears of the novel coronavirus, have returned back to work this week, the Daily Mirror learns.

Parliament committee proposes to ban burqa immediately

The Sectoral Oversight Committee on National Security has proposed to immediately ban attire such as the burqa and suspend registration of political parties on ethnic and religious basis.

Withdrawal of VoA will not lead to financial crisis: Govt

Government’s withdrawal of the proposed amendment to the Vote on Account (VoA) to raise additional funds, would not lead to any financial crisis in the country, Higher Education Minister Bandula Gunawardane said today.

E03 re-opened for traffic

The Colombo- Katunayake Expressway (E-03) which was closed for several hours re-opened for vehicular movement a short while ago, police said.

Avant Garde Case: Amended charge sheet dismissed

The Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar today dismissed the amended indictments on the Avant Garde illegal arms transportation case filed by the Attorney General (AG) on the basis that it was illegal to file a charge sheet against the released defendants from the case.

Human rights concerns: Sajith blames those in present govt

It is those in the present government who originally internationalised the human rights issues in Sri Lanka by signing a joint agreement with the then UN Chief Ban Ki Moon in May 2009 just after the war, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said today.

Peliyagoda - Ja-Ela stretch on E03 re-opened

The stretch from Peliyagoda to Ja-Ela on the Colombo- Katunayake Expressway (E-03) has been re-opened, Police said. The Colombo- Katunayake Expressway (E-03) was closed this afternoon due to smoke emitting from a garbage dumping site at Seeduwa.

Ex-district judge sentenced to 16 RI for soliciting bribe

The Colombo High Court judge Adithya Patabendige today sentenced former Homagama District Judge Sunil Abeysinghe and his Personal Security Officer PC Mahinda Kithsiri to a 16-year rigorous imprisonment (RI) for soliciting a bribe of Rs. 300,000 in 2013.

President and PM call for stern action against all responsible

Both President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa had directed the relevant authorities to take stern action against all who are responsible for the Srilankan Airlines scam including former CEO Kapila Chandrasena, State Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage told Parliament today.

Katunayake Expressway closed until further notice due to smoke

The Colombo- Katunayake Expressway (E-03) has been closed until further notice due to a smoke emitting from a garbage dumping site at Seeduwa, Police said.

Amendment to VoA seeking an increase in expenditure withdrawn

The Government has withdrawn the proposed amendment to the Vote on Account (VoA) seeking to increase expenditure and an increase in the debt ceiling.

CA orders not to arrest Gihan Pilapitiya without a warrant by Magistrate

The Court of Appeal today issued order that interdicted High Court Judge Gihan Pilapitya shall not be arrested without an order of a Competent Court.

Establishing separate Urban Council for Sainthamaruthu: Gazette Notice suspended

The Gazette notification to establish a separate Urban Council for Sainthamaruthu has become invalid following the Cabinet decision not to proceed with the Gazette right now, Co-Cabinet Spokesman Bandula Gunawardena said.

Two die of coronavirus in Iran, first fatalities in Middle East

Two elderly people have died in Iran after testing positive for the new coronavirus, according to health officials.

$800,000 received by Nimal Perera related to Namal’s money laundering case

Deputy Solicitor General (DSG) Thusith Mudalige yesterday revealed that the Singapore bank account belonging to former SriLankan Airlines CEO Kapila Chandrasena’s wife had a record of sending USD 800,000 to an individual by the name of Nimal Hemasiri Perera in November 2014, after the alleged USD 2 million commission was received from the French AIRBUS Company in connection with the 14 Airbuses purchase in 2013.

Hanau shooting: Eight dead after two attacks in Germany

Eight people are dead following two shootings at shisha bars in the western German city of Hanau, BBC reported.

Swan continues to haunt the elephant camp?

A fresh hurdle emerged yesterday in the adoption of the swan symbol by the newly-formed ‘Samagi Jana Balawegaya’ to contest the next general elections, Daily Mirror learns.

No counter resolution: Ravinatha

Foreign Secretary Ravinatha Aryasinha said there was no need to move a counter resolution to withdraw from cosponsorship of the UNHRC resolution 30/1.

DNF refuses ’swan’ to Samagi Jana Balawegaya

The UNP might have to contest under the elephant symbol as the Democratic National Front (DNF) has refused to allow Samagi Jana Balawegaya to use the swan symbol for a period of five years, said a senior member of the UNP who wished to remain anonymous.

Cabinet nod to withdraw UNHRC resolution 30/1

The Cabinet yesterday approved to move out of the UNHRC resolution 30/1 with the help of ‘likeminded’ countries, Daily Mirror learns.

Daya-Navin demand ‘elephant’ for Digamadulla, N’ Eliya

At the UNP Working Committee meeting held yesterday, MPs Daya Gamage and Navin Dissanayake insisted that they be granted permission to contest their respective districts under the elephant symbol while MP Ruwan Wijewardene empathised on contesting all districts under that symbol.

SL aims to close Resolution 30/1 after withdrawing from co-sponsorship

Sri Lanka will categorically outline the flaws of the Resolution 30/1 which the previous government had co- sponsored at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and will look to completely close it after withdrawing from its co-sponsorship, a government source told Daily Mirror yesterday.

Mid-term teacher transfers suspended: Edu Ministry

The Education Ministry has decided to suspend the mid-term teacher transfers following a request made by the principals and after considering the negative impact the process has made on the students’ learning process.

Possible sets of drugs for coronavirus treatment

A group of scientists led by Dr. Sameera R. Samarakoon at the Institute of Biochemistry Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Colombo has recently discovered a possible sets of United States’ Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved drugs which can be used as prophylactic treatment for COVID-19 by using computer-based drug designing methods.

Clerics on tourist visas propagated extremism among Muslim youth: Police

Investigations carried out by Police over the Easter Sunday attacks had revealed that certain persons on tourist visas pretending to be clerics, had propagated radicalised extremist ideology among innocent Muslim youth in rural areas, DIG (Traffic) Ajith Rohana said at a media briefing yesterday.

Hot weather to continue till mid-March: Met Dept.

The prevailing hot weather condition would last until mid-March and disappear with the onset of the Inter monsoon rain, Director General of the Department of Meteorology Athula Karunanayake said.

Four schoolboys drown in Medawachchiya tank

Four in a group of schoolboys, who were on an educational tour to Anuradhapura, had drowned this evening when they had gone to take a bath in the Medawachchiya tank, the police said.